The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites tribes and native communities, stakeholders, and other interested members of the public to learn about the Marine Life Management Act (MLMA) Master Plan amendment process. We hope you will join us for a conversation about the upcoming process:

View of the Pacific Ocean from the Russian River Estuary. “Goat Rock and the Russian River” by W. Hsieh, CC BY 2.0

You sometimes see the phrase “All drains lead to the ocean” painted on the pavement near drainage grates in city streets, but this saying also holds true for watersheds across California. The Russian River is no exception. The river’s headwaters are located near the inland city of Willits in Mendocino County, where it begins its meandering, 110-mile journey through oak hills, valleys filled with vineyards, urban centers, and redwoods, eventually making its way to a foggy ocean outlet at Jenner. Continue reading →

Welcome to the Marine Management News Fish Identification Quiz for November 2016! Here’s your chance to show off your fish identification knowledge and win a “Release At Depth” rockfish barotrauma cap. To qualify for the drawing, simply send the correct information to AskMarine@wildlife.ca.gov by December 30, 2016 identifying:

The species of the fish pictured below (scientific name) and an accepted common name, and

Off California, the brown smoothhound shark is commonly found from Humboldt Bay southward. It is often caught in bays from San Francisco to Point Conception, and prefers sandy, shallow environments, ranging from near shore to 360 ft. depths. Continue reading →